Born in San Luis, Colorado, Arlene
Cisneros Sena drew and painted at an early age. One image of a "farm boy
with a piece of wheat coming out of his mouth" caught the attention of
her father Fred "Mr. C" Cisneros. He later asked her to show some
drawings to Josef Bakos, a well-known artist and one of Santa Fe's famous Cinco
Pintores. The images Bakos critiqued were Sena's renderings of the Beatles:
John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Sena's first career was as a highly creative and successful cake decorator.
"I could draw anything on a cake!" she says. Now a nationally and
internationally acclaimed artist, this santera creates religious images resplendent
with natural pigments and gold leaf. Sena says she was inspired to use gold
leaf because she is fond of things that glitter. Her individual artistic style
is intricate and detailed. She has even been known to depict German Brown Trout
in her work since they are native to New Mexico (see the image of San Rafael
in the altar screen in Arte y Amistad). Her work is in many private and
public collections. Sena also has a piece (done in collaboration with fellow
Santa Fe artist Lawrence Baca) in the Vatican.

In the summer of 2003, after more than 500 hours of work, Sena completed a major
chapel altar screen for the Saint Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe. Inspired by
a tea set she had as a child, Sena collects Blue Willow China as well as crosses.